Australian Financial Review, Australia
05 Jun 2020, by Emma Connors And Natalia Santi
Licensed by Copyright Agency.
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communicate this work with a
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Private boost
for virus tests
in Indonesia
Containment
Emma Connors and Natalia Santi
Jakarta/Sydney | Public health and
policy experts are losing patience with
the Indonesian government and its
COVID-19 taskforce, saying low rates of
testing will put many lives at risk as the
country begins to ease restrictions.
On Tuesday, Indonesia conducted
5834 PCR, or molecular, tests among
its population of 270 million. This was
unusually low. Since it announced the
first COVID-19 cases on March 2, it has
tested 342,464 specimens – less than
4000 a day on average.
Indonesia has done about the same
number of PCR tests as Pakistan, with
60 per cent of Indonesia’s population.
Indonesia’s testing rate of 1253 per mil-
lion people compares with 17,343 tests
per million in nearby Malaysia, accord-
ing to data collated by Worldometer.
Indonesia’s President, Joko ‘‘Jokowi’’
Widodo, has repeatedly called for bet-
ter testing rates, but to no avail. As of
yesterday, the nation had recorded
28,233 COVID-19 infections and 1698
deaths. Another 13,213 people with
COVID-19 symptoms were waiting for
tests or test results.
Jakarta yesterday lifted the more
stringent restrictions imposed on the
capital in April. Hundreds of thousands
of military and national police have
been deployed around the country to
make sure citizens comply with social
distancing and other precautions
needed to live and work in what the
government has dubbed as ‘‘the new
normal’’. However, policy experts are
worried the government doesn’t have
an accurate picture of new infections.
Public policy analyst Agus
Pambagyo points out the current rate
of testing is well below the minimum
10,000 per million people recommen-
ded by the World Health Organisation.
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The shortfall means the government we need to have a stable testing system
lacks scientific evidence, said Mr Agus, that can deliver results faster, prefer-
a former deputy chairman of the ably same day. Those who test positive
Indonesian Consumers Foundation. ‘‘I need to be isolated and have their con-
am afraid the decisions will be wrong. tacts traced,’’ he said.
To declare a new normal without such The government has blamed the low
evidence is careless.’’ level of testing and the long wait for res-
Social entrepreneur and former ults to the lack of people with the neces-
deputy governor of Jakarta Sandiaga sary training and difficulties in getting
hold of test kits.
Uno is leading a private sector push to Dr Pandu said he was weary of hear-
work with the government’s COVID-19
ing about obstacles. ‘‘We don’t want to
taskforce to boost testing. Mr Sandiaga hear there is a problem. We want to
agrees the government needs more
hear the solution,’’ he said.
hard data on which to base decisions.
‘‘If we can increase testing capacity to The Australian Financial Review’s
between 20,000 and 30,000 a day, then Jakarta bureau was established with the
we would be able to determine if new support of the Judith Neilson Institute for
infections have peaked or if the curve is Journalism and Ideas.
still climbing,’’ Mr Sandiaga told The
Key points
Australian Financial Review.
A private equity pioneer who ran Level of testing falls far short
unsuccessfully for vice-president in the
of WHO advice and results
2019 election, Mr Sandiaga is now co-
ordinator of the United Coalition
tend to take a long time.
Volunteers Group that has distributed
Public health experts fear
food and other assistance, including 10
million face masks. It has also organ- dire consequences after
ised 10,000 tests to date. Mr Sandiaga is restrictions were relaxed.
confident this can be increased by tap-
ping into privately owned laboratories.
‘‘The private sector can move much
faster than government. We’ve already
managed 1200 tests a day with four
mobile units. That is, of course, a tiny
amount but we can accelerate quickly.’’
The government has relied heavily
on tens of thousands of volunteers to
help source and distribute food sup-
plies to the needy and care for the sick.
In a nation of communities used to self-
help, volunteers can be more effective
than a slow-moving bureaucracy.
Pandu Riono, professor of public
health and epidemiologist at the Uni-
versity of Indonesia, is keen for any-
thing that will speed up testing.
‘‘If we are relaxing social restrictions,
 Australian Financial Review, Australia
05 Jun 2020, by Emma Connors And Natalia Santi

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A motorist stops to light up a cigarette near a mural honouring healthcare workers on the outskirts of Jakarta. PHOTO: AP